


Proving Innocence

by homosexualspawnofsatan



Series: Erejean week 2020 [4]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23443258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/homosexualspawnofsatan/pseuds/homosexualspawnofsatan
Summary: When Jean sees a case where an innocent man has spent fifteen years behind bars for a murder he didn't commit, he just has to help.
Relationships: Jean Kirstein/Eren Yeager
Series: Erejean week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683376
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	Proving Innocence

**Author's Note:**

> Erejean week day 4 prompt freedom, I put lots of love into this so I hope you enjoy.

Jean sat there in his office, one of the best lawyers with the Innocence Project and he was waiting for his next case. He had been looking over a few pretty interesting ones, but he paused as he read over one that seemed to talk to him. It was different than his usual case, but it seemed this guy had been waiting for long enough for someone to come and help him prove his innocence. Though it was not hard to imagine why people did not want to touch this case with even a fairly lengthy pole most would never even dream of trying to touch this case because of the nature of it.

A pretty brutal murder, someone’s head bashed in with a crowbar and shot in the head to make sure they where actually dead. That was nothing less than terrifying to most, but down right no to even more. Jean had always enjoyed a challenge. He had a feeling he could do this. He looked up the number for the prison where the client was, he had waited for over fifteen years for his Justice. Thirty-three years old and the poor guy’s life seemed to be over, talk about a massive amount of suck, Jean would do what he could to help. He flipped through the phone numbers until he found the prison’s number and made the dial.

“Hello? Warden Smith speaking, might I ask who this is?” A somewhat tired, yet scholarly voice said from the other end of the phone.

Jean couldn’t help but wonder what type of warden this man was. Was he a good person? Did he treat the inmates fairly? Would he allow Jean to speak to his new client? He had better, Jean did this because people deserved to have their names cleared, and Jean hated having to jump through hoops just to have to just talk to his client and set up the discussions that should be going on for all of this.

“Hello, my name is Jean Kirstien. I am a lawyer with the Innocence Project. I am calling with the request to be put through to the inmate in your prison known as Eren Yeager. He has a conviction for first degree murder and it seems that the evidence against him is sketchy at best. I want to discuss things with him over the phone before our first face to face meeting. I love to become familiar with my client before I meet them and talk my plan to prove their innocence. Trust me when I say I am a man who does not go dishonest and I never charge for my services as I do work for a non-profit. I am here only to help him.” Jean gave his same basic greeting and explanation that he always did when meeting a new warden, though at this point he was sure his reputation likely proceeded him. Especially in this area.

“Ahh yes, I have heard of you. Judge Zackely sings your praises Mr.Kirstien. I suppose I should have expected someone like you would take this case.” The warden commented in a somewhat thoughtful way.

“Just from my preliminary read through, it seems most of the evidence against him is circumstantial at best, and at least on of the forensic tests is no longer admissible in court. I intended to fix this miscarriage of justice, now may I please speak with my client?” Patients wearing thin, Jean started to tap his pen as he waited to get to his main objective.

“Oh, my apologies. Of course you may, please hold while I put you through to him.” Erwin instructed and put Jean on hold.

Jean groaned, he always had to deal with stuff like this. Holding while they got the prisoner out of the cell. He couldn’t help but feel for Eren, this guy had been waiting for fifteen years, likely stuck in the same dingy smelly cell with only about an hour or so per week in the workout yard if he behaved for the prison. Something it seemed the male could not do as he was known to get into fights. He felt some relief when the phone started to ring again, surely this Eren guy would pick up now.

“Hello?” A gruff, depressed voice answered his call, likely this Eren guy they had talked about. 

It seemed that the case, the murder of a Ymir McIntyre, the former girl friend of Historia Riese, the incumbent Mayor of the town was what Eren had been accused of all those years earlier. Jean sure had his work cut out for him, but he was sure that this Eren guy would understand him taking so long to call, because he would ensure Eren went free. Having maintained innocence for this long Jean was more than willing to believe he was innocent.

“Hello, Eren Yeager correct? My name is Jean Kirstien. I am with the innocence project. I am here to help you get out of prison for your wrongful conviction. You have been waiting for far too long. Is there a day I can come in and give you my plan of attack?” He asks as he gets his appointment book out for him. This was a pretty big thing going on here.

“You mean that huh? It does sound nice....finally being free again....we can meet this Thursday at noon....I am sure you see the, unflattering picture of my hair and mustache at the moment and would like to take the next few days to try and clean up a little.” Was the only real reply he got. It seemed that this Eren was a man of few words, that was fine by him.

“That sounds great to me, I’ll see you then. Thank you very much Mr.Yeager. Good bye.” Jean hung up as he finished scribbling down the appointment and then went to start his own mini investigation into the case that had taken place several years earlier.

Needless to say Jean already had several good plans at this point. Supposedly the bite-mark impression and a microscopic hair analysis comparison test had been the star pieces of evidence piled on top of circumstantial evidence the prosecution had presented where the stars of the case. That alone gave Jean some room, now he just had to get some DNA from Eren for a test and present that case, thankfully there where no witnesses otherwise things would have been much harder. Jean had already called his friend Marco, a forensic scientist working at a private lab who would do the case retests to ensure an impartial third party did it.

He made his way into the prison, a long and boring process really. He was a lawyer not a criminal planning to but his buddy out. Oh well, society did always assume the worst of people.

Soon he was inside, and led in to meet Eren Yeager. He did look quite a bit different than his most recent picture indicated, mainly he had shaved off the facial hair, but his hair was still pretty damn long, they would have to gel and man bun it for court Jean decided.

They started the meeting with a firm hand shake, in which Jean noted just how attractive the inmate was, but he had to banish that from his head, professionalism first.

“Alright Mr.Yeager, I have noticed most of the evidence against you was circumstantial at best. The two forensic tests they did on you are no longer admissible in court, so let’s get this going for you huh? I wioll take a swab of your DNA and send it off to have tested against what little DNA they have for the crime scene, when it isn’t a match you will be a free man, especially with my way of taking and attacking the fake sciences that put you away.” Jean flashed a smile,m and just for a moment could have sworn he saw a blush on Eren’s face, but just a moment.

“Thank you Mr.Kirstien. That sounds wonderful, I cannot wait to finally be free again.” Eren smiled a bit, thinking about what he might be able to do with the freedom, but whatever it was he knew it would be truly his choice at long last.

“You are most welcome, but please just Jean. I wish to be a friend and a lawyer to someone down on his luck, I note your adopted sister Mikasa and her husband Armin don’t really stop by with your nieces and nephews so I definitely think you need one other than the mayor who has limited time for visits.” Jean offered, and he did intended to fix the lack of family visits as well.

“I can’t blame them with what I was convicted of....but that does sound nice Just Jean.” Eren laughed at his own bad joke. “Then just call me Eren.”

Jean groaned but chuckled hearing what Eren said. “Oh you are so original Eren.” Jean now prepared his kit he had with him to get Eren’s DNA. “Now say ahh.” Jean instructed.

Eren did so and Jean got the DNA swab and dropped it in the forensics bag that came with his stuff. He got it all secured and looked up at Eren. “And with that my dear man, I do hope we have what we need to prove your innocence to the courts, and I look forward to working with you more closely in the coming weeks.”

The duo shook hands one last time and Jean left.

The next day hew sent the kit out to be tested and went about gathering the rest of his defenses. He called Eren often and gave him updates, sometimes they just talked about Eren’s family, which seemed to be only the ones who couldn’t visit because of social staus, and his older brother and his family far away, too far to visit, though they also believed him to be innocent. They also spoke about shared interests and the like when there was no updates on the case.

One month later, Jean gave the most heartfelt defense he had ever given and exposed the shortcuts of prosecution fifteen years earlier. When they where done, he sat down in his chair panting.

The next several minutes passed in agony, the judge seemed to be taking his sweet time with making a ruling, but when he returned everyone stood and then sat, now looking to him again for the decision.

“In light of the new evidence brought forth of Eren’s DNA not matching that of the person who murdered Ymir McIntyre, and the fact the star forensic evidence against him is not admissible in court, the court finds Eren Yeager innocent of murder in the first degree and voids his conviction. You have our sincerest apologies Mr.Yeager. Case dismissed.” He then got up and left.

Eren felt his eyes water as he hugged his sister and her husband, his best friend and their kids. However, he turned down there offer to stay with him.

On their way out, Jean stopped him in the parking-lot and looked to him.

“I will not claim to understand why you didn’tgo with your family, but I respect it. However, if you have nowhere to stay, you can come stay with me for awhile.” He offered.

“I would like that.” Eren said getting a bit closer to Jean.

“Yeah...me too.” Jean wasn’t sure what happened next, he just out of the blue kissed Eren. This was perhaps his greatest case yet. And he was happy about that, and maybe he got just a bit more than finding justice for an innocent man.


End file.
